Reduced loads with a twist...

1899

1899

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Most people are doing reduced loads with light bullets at moderate speeds: 100 - 125gr bullets at ~2600.

Recently (relatively) we have seen a wide range of long range hunting bullets that are designed to open at lower velocities - LRAB, ELD-X, Berger and LRX. Some of these bullets are advertised to open effectively as low as 1400 fps. So have any of you tried a reduced load with heavier bullets? I was thinking about 7mm-08 with 162 - 168gr bullets at ~2100-2200 fps.

A 162 ELD-X at 2200 should have a +/-3" PBR of about 225 yards and plenty of jam at that distance for deer (would still be +1900 fps). Recoil in a 7.5 lb setup would be around 10 ft-lbs (similar to a factory loaded 100gr bullet out of a .243 Win).

I'm going to give it a try but curious if any of you have tried it and your views on the results.
 
I started with reduced loads and light bullets for the kids when they were little. Now that they're hunting big game my oldest has suddenly become recoil shy. I've been working with the 150gr ABLR and reduced loads, I'm getting one hole accuracy with H4895 at 2,000 fps. I had some great results at lower speeds but I wanted just a bit more for hunting.

I'm hoping to do the same with some 171gr Barnes Match Burners for a less expensive alternative to the noslers. I just picked up some 162gr Interlocks for the same purpose until I can get my hands on some of the Barnes.
 
wilbar said:
I started with reduced loads and light bullets for the kids when they were little. Now that they're hunting big game my oldest has suddenly become recoil shy. I've been working with the 150gr ABLR and reduced loads, I'm getting one hole accuracy with H4895 at 2,000 fps. I had some great results at lower speeds but I wanted just a bit more for hunting.

I'm hoping to do the same with some 171gr Barnes Match Burners for a less expensive alternative to the noslers. I just picked up some 162gr Interlocks for the same purpose until I can get my hands on some of the Barnes.
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Are you using the 60% rule with H4895 as a starting point? I want to give H4198 a try as well. I bought a couple of boxes of the 162 ELD-X as they seem like a good deal at about $60/100 vs +$90/100 with the LRAB.
 
For a reduced load in my .300 Win. Mag. I load 180gr bullets with Re7 at around 2000 fps MV. Good plinking load. Also 158gr .357 pistol bullets in my 35 caliber rifles (.358 Win., 35 Whelen and .350 Rem. Mag.) at around 1500 fps MV using Blue Dot.
 
Just be sure you stick to the reduced load recommended powder and type which I believe is H4895, although there may be others. What I know is that H4831 does not work. In fact when I loaded up some of my .264 WM at just the minimum starting load level as recommended by Hodgdon, I got this:

Dents.jpg


I'm not sure of the exact sequence of how this can happen, but I suspect the neck on the brass does not seal, gases leak by the neck, and collapse the case. Perhaps my cases were in need of annealing. I had not tracked firings on these cases.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
They call it a 30-30 with soft points. ;)

Honestly for any of these reduced loads I would stick to a soft point cup and core type bullet.
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Yup, .30-30 bullet weights at .30-30 muzzle velocity but with much improved ballistics out of a modern bolt action is what I was thinking.
 
Yes H4895 & 60% rule.

Price is what has me looking for the Barnes Match burners. Listing beween $45 & $49/100 with a BC close to the ABLRs should make a decent practice round at 60% of the cost
 
42-43gr of IMR4064 under a 30-30 type bullet in my 308win gets me an accurate round leaving the muzzle at about 2450fps. Nice light recoiling round, basically a bolt action 30-30.

12gr of Trail Boss pushes the same bullets at about 1200fps. It recoils like a 22mag, but the bullets don't expand at all.
 
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